Payment
by andhearts
Summary: Naruto and Sasuke have ramen. Rated for language.


**A/N:** Hello there! I'm here with another oneshot. Another Naruto one. :D I'm SO debating on putting up a multi chapter story, but I want to have more of it done before I decide to start putting it up. :D Woo.

NO PAIRINGS. Unless you want to turn you head sideways and sqint, while under a magnifying glass. :D haha. I kill me. XD I wrote this a long time ago, just wanting to write something between two of my favortie characters. It's not wonderful, but I thought I'd put something up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. I am way too kind hearted. Have you _seen_ the last couple manga?! I love it anyway, though. :D

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****Paychecks**

"_You're treating me to ramen then, Dobe."_

Naruto sat at the bar of Ichiraku Ramen, Sasuke sitting in the seat beside him. The air was just cool enough for Naruto to take off his jacket that had gotten sweaty during training. He sighed as the cool air went through his thin and worn black shirt. It really was his favorite.

The owner of the shop smiled at the two boys, "What can I get you?"

Naruto grinned at the old man, "One miso ramen for me!" He tied his jacket around his waist.

Sasuke glanced at the old man muttering, "A pork ramen for me."

Naruto turned to Sasuke with a grin, "I didn't know you actually ate ramen when you didn't have to, Teme!" Naruto laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"It shouldn't matter to you what I eat, Dobe," Sasuke said, looking at the bar top. He rested his head atop his intertwined fingers, much like he had the first day they had met Kakashi and became genin.

Naruto pouted, "You don't have to be such an ass about it, Teme."

"Hn." Sasuke glanced at the whisker scared boy. Naruto was never serious, was he? All he did was grin that stupid grin, and act like an idiot.

Their ramen was set in front of them, and the two began to eat. Silence reigned for a while before Sasuke glanced once again at Naruto, figuring that the blond was already ready to order another bowl. He was surprised to find that Naruto was not even half way done, and he was slowly eating the ramen as if every bite was precious.

Sasuke could not let something like this go, the blond usually shoveled down each bowl with the speed of a Professional Eater. "I'm surprised you're not on your eighteenth bowl by now, Idiot."

Swallowing his bite, Naruto grinned at Sasuke, "Like I have enough money for eighteen bowls!" Naruto shook his head, laughing, as if the Uchiha had said something very stupid and childish.

Sasuke was taken aback by the look on Naruto's face. He did not show it though, "You usually eat this place out of business when you come here."

Naruto grinned wider, until his eyes were slits, "I wasn't paying then, was I? And you call me the Idiot."

"Dobe," Sasuke muttered, eating some more of his ramen, "Why can't you buy that much by yourself?"

Naruto mumbled something unintelligible into his ramen bowl. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "What was that, idiot?"

Naruto pouted at Sasuke, eyes still making him look like an idiot as slits, "I said D-ranks don't pay enough. With my bills and paying for food and other expenses, I just don't have enough money."

Sasuke lowered his eyebrows, "You're an orphan, aren't you? Don't you get orphan pay until you're sixteen or a chuunin?" Sasuke asked. He was still getting orphan pay, even if he didn't need it.

Naruto's eyes opened, but he looked off; his voice had lost its stupid quirk, and now sounded bland and dead, "They quit paying that to me years ago. And with the shitty deals I get at the market, I really don't have a lot of money." Naruto shrugged, then grinned that inane grin again, keeping his eyes from showing.

Sasuke frowned, "You should see the Sandaime about that, they're suppose to pay orphan pay until you're either sixteen or a chuunin."

Naruto looked away from him, "Sasuke, I'll tell you this only once. Everyone in this village," the old man who owned Ichiraku, pointedly put his hands on his hips, making Naruto smile a little bit, "Well, almost everyone in this village… hates me. I can't tell you why, but… the Old Man Hokage has already done enough for me. Any more and some of the villagers might not take too kindly to that. He's the reason I'm still alive and it would be too much to ask more of him," At this Naruto smiled at Sasuke, eyes finally showing. Sasuke had to bite his lips from gasping from the maturity in Naruto's eyes. Naruto had never smiled like that before. Sasuke couldn't help but think that was an actual _real_ smile instead of those idiotic grins. "Besides," Naruto went on, "I've been doing fine for twelve years; I don't need any more help than I already have."

Sasuke didn't reply. He realized how much better—in terms of material and practical possessions—he had it than Naruto. He was getting payments from the orphan fund, the Uchiha accounts from the bank, and donations from people who had been close to the Uchiha clan. Naruto was only getting the money from the D-ranks missions, and if he had understood right, since most of the villagers hated him, they gave him bad deals on products. No wonder Naruto had wanted a C-rank so much. And no wonder the Sandaime had given it to them.

Sasuke hurried through his bowl of ramen and left. He had a lot to think over.

Naruto finished his bowl, minutes after Sasuke had left. He glanced next to him with weary eyes to the spot the Uchiha had occupied. Sitting where Sasuke's ramen bowl had been was enough money to pay for both their ramen and three more bowls.

Naruto scowled at the money, paying for the Uchiha and his with his own money. Slipping Sasuke's money into his pocket he left Ichiraku with a wave to the old man. As he walked to his old, rundown apartment he let a smile slowly come to his face.

Maybe Sasuke wasn't such a frigid bastard after all.

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_That's it! :D Hope everybody enjoys. :D _

_andhearts! _


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